Sen. Wyden Mentioned In VP Debate

The Republican nominee for Vice President, Paul Ryan, has often brought up his work with Wyden on a Medicare position paper. And he did so again last night while debating Democratic Vice President Joe Biden.

Paul Ryan: “This is a plan that’s bipartisan. It’s a plan I put together with a prominent Democrat senator from Oregon.”

Joe Biden: “There’s not one Democrat who endorses it.”

Paul Ryan: “It’s a plan…”

Joe Biden: “Not one Democrat who (inaudible).”

Paul Ryan: “Our partner is a Democrat from Oregon.”

Joe Biden: “And he said he does no longer support (inaudible).”

Senator Wyden waded in after the debate on his Facebook page.

He worked with Ryan on a position paper late last year. But he criticizes the current proposal from Ryan and Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney.

He says it differs from the Wyden-Ryan paper in significant ways. Wyden says, for example, that the plan “shreds” the safety net for so-called “dual eligibles,” those who are on both Medicare and Medicaid.

He writes, “The Romney/Ryan plan on Medicare is further proof that Mitt Romney is singularly unfit to end gridlock and bring bipartisan solutions to Washington.”